Natasha Oakley, co-founder of Monday Swimwear, shares how she leveraged a passion project blog, "A Bikini a Day," into a multi-million dollar swimwear brand by identifying and addressing significant market gaps in size inclusivity and fit. This episode provides a blueprint for founders on building an authentic brand, fostering community through an influencer-led approach, and achieving impressive organic growth even after a decade in business.
Key takeaways
Identify and validate market gaps through direct engagement with your audience before committing to product development, as demonstrated by "A Bikini a Day" informing Monday Swimwear.
Leverage an authentic influencer presence to build a strong community around your brand from day one, which can drive significant organic growth and customer loyalty.
Prioritize product quality and inclusive sizing to meet unmet customer needs and differentiate in a crowded market, directly contributing to brand reputation and repeat purchases.
Strategic expansion into new ventures (like The Pilates Class) and investments can diversify your entrepreneurial portfolio while maintaining focus on your core brand.
Plan for future growth by targeting international markets and exploring omnichannel retail strategies, as Monday Swimwear is doing, to continue scaling beyond initial digital success.
When Natasha Oakley and her best friend, Devin Brugman, created their blog, A Bikini a Day, in 2012, they had no idea their passion project would eventually turn into a multimillion-dollar global brand. The site, which expanded to feature fitness, travel and lifestyle content, was, at its core, a platform to celebrate curves and the diversity of women's bodies. Oakley and Burgman's ability to cater to that gap in the swimwear market, however, was the catalyst for the duo to launch Monday Swimwear in 2014. "When we started A Bikini a Day [there weren't a lot of swimwear options] that were beautiful, that fit women's curves and that made women feel confident. Everything just didn't fit quite right. We were featuring the best that we could, but it still wasn't up to the standards that we would have liked," Oakley said on the latest episode of The Glossy Podcast. "So we thought, 'We just need to create our own brand. We're so passionate about swim, so let's go for it.'"
The brand's expansive range of sizes, along with its quality products and the built-in community that came from it being founded by influencers, has helped it grow. According to Oakley, in 2022 alone, Monday Swimwear organically grew 30%. For Oakley, Monday Swimwear was just the beginning of her journey as a founder and investor. In 2020, the serial entrepreneur launched an online exercise platform called The Pilates Class alongside Jacqui Kingswell, which grew 22% in the 2022, she said. And most recently, she invested in jewelry brand Emma Pills. Though Oakley has many projects on her plate, she said her main priority is continuing to grow and expand Monday Swimwear. The brand plans to expand into international markets, as well as launch retail locations.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Identify and validate market gaps through direct engagement with your audience before committing to product development, as demonstrated by "A Bikini a Day" informing Monday Swimwear.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Leverage an authentic influencer presence to build a strong community around your brand from day one, which can drive significant organic growth and customer loyalty.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Prioritize product quality and inclusive sizing to meet unmet customer needs and differentiate in a crowded market, directly contributing to brand reputation and repeat purchases.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Strategic expansion into new ventures (like The Pilates Class) and investments can diversify your entrepreneurial portfolio while maintaining focus on your core brand.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Plan for future growth by targeting international markets and exploring omnichannel retail strategies, as Monday Swimwear is doing, to continue scaling beyond initial digital success.
